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Best $2.00 You'll Ever Spend

2011-12-19T19:19:29Z

When was the last time you pulled $ 2.00 out of your pocket and thought, this is all it takes to make the kind of memories that will last a lifetime?

Right now is your moment to make that moment happen. This Week Only: Donate $2 (Or More) To Help Send Children To A Gluten-Free Summer Camp!

We all know the saying, "it's better to give than receive" and in these challenging economic times the shrinking value of a dollar, it's hard to imagine how such a small amount can make a difference, but perhaps that's why when this came to my attention I knew I'd have to find the time to write all of you.

This week only, giving just $2 of your hard-earned money will go toward providing scholarships for children to attend a gluten-free summer camp hosted by the Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF) next summer in Southern California.

This week through Sunday, December 25,Gluten-Free Saver has partnered withVan’s Natural Foods to raise money to send children to next summer’s CDF-sponsored summer camp, and Van’s is matching all donations up to $1,000!

The goal is to raise $2,000 – and when you donate $2, you’re really contributing $4.

You can read more about the fundraiser here: www.glutenfreesaver.com.

The summer camp will be held in San Bernardino in Southern California from July 30 to August 3, 2012, and it’s open to all 7-15 year old gluten intolerant and gluten-sensitive children – not just those diagnosed with celiac disease.

Sure, receiving gifts this time of year is always fun, but the feeling of knowing that your generous donation of just $2 can bring a tremendous amount of joy to a young child… well, now that’s priceless.

Please help reach the goal of donating $2,000 to the Celiac Disease Foundation this week. Every $2 helps. I'm not collecting any money, I'm just passing along the information. If you want to help, just click this link to leave my site and help out. 100% of all donations will go directly to CDF

YES! I want to help send a child to a gluten-free summer camp and donate $2 right now!

If you’re feeling extra generous this holiday season, you aren’t limited to donating just $2 – you can give as much money as your heart desires!

FDA Teleconference TODAY Regarding Gluten-Free Food Labeling

2011-08-02T16:04:24Z

Sorry for the short notice, but I just got this information from our friends at Delight Gluten Free Magazine.

WHAT:

A stakeholder teleconference regarding FDA's proposed rule on gluten-free labeling of foods

WHO:

-- Michael R. Taylor, J.D., Deputy Commissioner for Foods, FDA

-- Michael M. Landa, J.D., Acting Director, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA

WHEN:

Tuesday, August 2, 2011 at 4:00 p.m. ET

HOW:

The teleconference will be held Tuesday, August 2, 2011 from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. ET. The toll-free number is 800-369-1976 (inside the United States) and 312-470-7298 (international). The password is CFSAN.

A replay will be available one hour after the teleconference ends until September 2, 2011. To hear the replay, callers can dial 866-415-8391. International callers will need to dial 203-369-0700.

Going Green - Can the Packaging Make You Sick?

2011-04-18T16:08:00Z

While we've been working on our website behind the scenes to better serve both our readers and our clients, I hope you've been following along on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites. I'm on the go, so stay connected by adding me to your friend list; just click the icons below:

On a more important note, I thought you might want to see the ads announcing new "green" packaging that will be used in the supermarket where I shop, for a product I buy. This packaging may already be in the stores where you shop.

Going Green is important and packaging is a great place to start, but I'm betting I'm not the only celiac/food allergic person that doesn't like this particular solution. The idea of eating anything packaged in products made from wheat in any form doesn't sit well with me. The ad (provided by the manufacturer for all their supermarket clients) says the packaging is gluten free but I'm not taking any chances when it comes to my health and well being or that of my clients!! I'd love to hear what you think.

Seriously - post your comments! I will be following up on this subject with several more articles to bring you more in-depth information.

Chef Stacy

Q & A: Gluten Free Roux Options

2010-12-09T00:51:00Z

I received this email today and thought it was a perfect way to get back to writing. I've been very busy with custom cakes and cookies but no matter how busy I am, I will always take some time to help answer questions about gluten free and allergy friendly food preparation.

"Hi Stacy,

I was in Williams-Sonoma yesterday up on 59th St in NYC and they gave me your name as a great gluten free reference.

My question is this:

What is the best substitute for flour when thickening a white wine sauce?? Rice flour? Potato flour?

I am having a party this Xmas and several people are gluten sensitive. I want to make Julia Child's Coquille Saint Jacque which uses a classic thick french white wine sauce, presumably very delicate since it is for light white fish and scallops. She makes a roux with butter and then adds the liquid. What is the best way to replicate this gluten-free?? I'd be OK with mixing flour in liquid rather than doing the roux...I don't want to use corn starch-- too weird a texture for this recipe, and want the thickener to be very taste-neutral. I do want to make the sauce thick enough to keep it from running all over the plate. ( will reduce the liquid a lot to help, but it will still need quite a lot of thickening). I would normally put this dish in individual ramekins but can't do it for this party--too many people and buffet style."

I'm so glad they gave you my information. You have several options and I will try to list the pros and cons of each. I could give you a quick answer, but I think it's important to give a little background as well as answer this question.

First, understand there are several ways to thicken liquids but for the purpose of this answer I'm going to lump them into two categories: starches and flours.

Starches:

All starches work by absorbing water (or other cooking liquids) into individual starch grains. The amount of liquid the particular starch is able to absorb and how concentrated the starch grains are in the liquid affect the thickness of the final dish. Popular substitute starches are Kuzu and Arrowroot.

You mentioned cornstarch which is highly refined and widely used in many cuisines. It can get quite gelatinous when it sits - but it's inexpensive, easy to obtain and almost everyone has it in their kitchen. It's biggest drawback, it doesn't reheat or hold well.

Arrowroot, arrowroot flour and arrowroot powder are the same ingredient. Arrowroot is derived from the starch of a plant native to the West Indies. It is highly digestible, natural and far less refined than corn starch. Like all starches it needs to used as a slurry as opposed to a roux. Slurries are added to cool liquids and stirred continuously but not vigorously. How long it's cooked is important; cook only to or just a few seconds past the boil or it will break down and thin.

Kuzu, pronounced kudzu, is the root of a plant that has long been considered soothing to digestive and circulatory systems. Kuzu is not cheap but you need very little in any given recipe. If you go this way read the label, cheaper products are sometimes mixed with potato flour and that's not what you want for this application. Kuzu MUST be cooked 1 to 2 minutes after the boil is reached to stabilize the starch but you need not worry about the stirring issues. With both kuzu and arrowroot the mixture will thicken and become clear.

Before I go into the flours - let's talk potato. This is where the designation of flour vs starch makes a difference. Potato starch and potato flour are worlds apart.

Potato starch can be found in any supermarket in the kosher section. It is a straight substitution for corn starch. It is very fine with a bland taste and works great for cream based sauces or soups. Use the slurry method and use about 1/2 the amount you would of a wheat based flour.

Potato flour is not the starch of the potato but the potato itself. Think instant potato flakes after a few pulses in a blender. It is a heavy flour with a definite potato flavor. It is not used very often and when it's called for in GF baking can be substituted with instant pulsed in the blender I like this for thickening traditional Irish stew.

The other ingredient that can get confusing is corn which is sold as a starch, flour and meal - all with different properties.

Flours:

There are many gluten free flours and they have very different properties. I won't go into all of the choices - that would require something that reads more like a book than an answer to your question.

The tricky part about GF cooking and baking is that no single flour substitutes for wheat based flour. You'll see that GF baking requires a blend of flours. I've spent years learning all the ways to combine them to get the results I want - often getting results that are better than standard wheat based flours.

Since you don't do GF often - the simplest answer is to pick up one of the commercially prepared gluten free all purpose flour mixes. The easiest to find is Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour, sold in 22-ounce packages. You can use that as a straight substitute. The issue for me is that the flours used in this mix can be difficult for some to digest and they strong flavored lending themselves better for a roux supporting stronger flavors such as in a gumbo. The technique for making a GF roux is simular but since there is no gluten the roux will behave very differently as it cooks. There is a good video that will show the differences while cooking. I'm including the video in this post. I personally like the GF mix called for in the video. Sweet rice flour and sorghum - both also readily available in most health food stores.

Glutinous rice flour--also known as Sweet Rice Flour--is used in many Asian cuisines to make sweets, buns and pastries. Contrary to its name, it does not actually contain gluten, making it safe for people with celiac disease. Sweet rice flour is made from short-grain sticky rice. The rice is polished and ground to a fine white powder. When cooked, glutinous rice flour becomes sticky and chewy. The moistness and elastic properties allow it to be shaped easily. The rice flour has a very mild, slightly sweet taste. This is a very versatile ingredient; it can be used as a thickener, dough or binder. It is commonly used to make mochi, a type of sweet rice cake often eaten in Japan. On it's own it wouldn't work well, BUT mixed with another GF flour, I think it is the way to go.

Sorghum, originating in Africa, is one of the top five cereal crops in the world. Since sorghum flour is neutral in flavor, it is a popular ingredient in many foods, as it takes on the flavor of whatever it is cooked with. It is very high in iron, fiber and protein, making it one of the healthier options for those who have a gluten intolerance.

I hope this helps! If you have any further questions just leave a comment.

how to make gluten-free roux & gravy

Bon Appétit,

Stacy

Chillin' in the Hot Kitchen

2010-07-06T17:09:00Z

It's been really busy here at Guaranteed Gluten Free. We've been baking, cooking and working with a lot of new clients. The cakes have been so much fun and I promise we'll get some pictures up here real soon. My followers on Facebook have given us a lot of great feedback. It's been a hot summer and with the oven on, baking seems like an endurance sport. So when Andy sent me the link to the video below, I knew I'd have to share with all of you. I hope it gives you as big a smile as it gave me. Enjoy and stay cool! Tell me what you think of this creative fun piece, I'd love to hear what you think of this fellow New Yorker!

Celiac Update - Your Government at Work

2010-06-23T13:11:00Z

(June 10, 2010) The Celiac Sprue Association (CSA) continues to advocate and "take a stand" for individuals and families dealing with celiac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis. With the issue of health care as a priority in Washington D.C., CSA works with our elected representatives and current legislation to improve the lives and be a representative voice for individuals with celiac disease.

Recently the House of Representatives passed HR Bill 2749 taking a step toward putting stricter FDA regulations upon America’s food sources. The Senate is now considering the Senate bill S510, which would activate similar regulations. Currently S510 does not include "gluten sources as related to celiac disease." Passage of this bill would require record keeping in the food industry of potential health hazards.

With the inclusion of those seven words to the bill, many individuals affected with celiac disease will be able to find foods that are acceptable to their diet much easier than content information today, affording the same protection as to those with allergies. The Celiac Sprue Association has requested the support of more than twenty Senators on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP), requesting a "Managers Amendment" to S.510, the FDA Food Safety Management Act to include the hazards affecting the food choices of those with celiac disease. Celiac disease, is an autoimmune disease, thus excluded from the food allergy aspects of the bill. A Manager’s Amendment would recognize this hazard and protect the 1% of the population coping with this autoimmune disease.

It is not always possible to determine the RISK of a food being free of wheat, barley, rye, common oats, their crosses and their derivatives either directly as an ingredient or through cross contact. Such information is rarely available. The lack of documentation creates a health hazard for those requiring gluten–free foods and an unclear liability for food companies.

Because *no safe gluten threshold has been established for those with celiac disease, *the FDA regulation for volunteer gluten-free food labeling is pending and *the gluten–free segment of the food industry grew 74% between 2004 and 2009 and is projected to continue growing at a rate of 15–25% per year, according to the Nielson Company. CSA has requested the efforts of the Senate’s Health, Education and Labor Committee to assist in this "Manager’s Amendment."

Senators who have been personally contacted by CSA to assist in this labeling issue include. Tom Harkin (IA), Chris Dodd (CT), Barbara A. Mikulski (MD), Jeff Bingaman (NM), Patty Murray (WA), Jack Reed (RI), Bernard Sanders (I) (VT), Sherrod Brown (OH), Robert P. Casey, Jr. (PA),Kay Hagan (NC), Jeff Merkley (OR), Al Franken (MN), Michael Bennet (CO), Michael B. Enzi (WY), Judd Gregg (NH), Lamar Alexander (TN), Richard Burr (NC), Johnny Isakson (GA), John McCain (AZ), Orrin G. Hatch (UT), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Pat Roberts (KS), Tom Coburn, M.D. (OK) With the help of these Senators, CSA continues to advocate awareness to our government leaders and Congress on issues pertaining to celiac disease as "Celiacs helping Celiacs." For more information on the S510 Bill visit the CSA website at csaceliacs.org or email executivedirector@csaceliacs.org or call toll free at 1-877-CSA-4-CSA.

Healthy Seafood Class

2010-04-13T11:43:00Z

The turnout for this past Sunday's technique class was a pleasant surprise, in that there were so many people for whom this was their first technique class. I put a great deal of time and energy into preparing my classes and nothing makes me happier than the kind of positive feedback I received this week from my "regulars" and "newbies" alike.

In class we had so much material to cover that I only briefly introduced the last "healthy fish" cooking technique: en papillote (click link for common definition). As promised, I've included a two part video at the end of the blog to walk you through several variations of this technique. If you pay close attention, you may notice that Alton Brown points out that en papillote comes from the French word for butterfly, referring to the heart shaped parchment paper typically used. Don't get confused, "butterflying" is a different cooking technique altogether, one you'll get to see if you take the Healthy Chicken Class on April 25th. If you want to attend either the noon or 3 PM class, please call the Williams-Sonoma 59th and Lexington Avenue store at 917-369-1131 to have your name added to the technique class list; the class is free but we need to know how many people plan to attend so we have enough food for everyone to be able to taste the recipes. As the schedule stands now, I think I'll be teaching that class.

If you have any comments or questions, please send me a note through the blog. To leave a comment, scroll down to the bottom of the article and click on add comment. You'll be taken to a form to fill out. If you select the box subscribe to this entry, you'll get an email at the email address you listed when anyone leaves another comment and when I leave an answer. If you select, subscribe to this blog, you'll get an email when I post new articles,

I hope you enjoy these two clips:

PART 1

PART 2

Have fun playing with your food! I look forward to reading all about your adventures using this and the other seafood techniques you learned in class.

Notes from Cupcake Class

2010-03-23T13:05:00Z

My works hours were changed so the notes from this weekend's class won't be posted until late this evening or tomorrow. As always, if you need something ASAP, just send me an email or post a comment to this blog and I'll get back to you.

Cooking Class Updates & Marshmallow Fondant

2010-03-16T22:37:00Z

I'd like to thank everyone who attended this past weekend's FREE technique class: Cookie Baking and Decorating. As a reminder, this Sunday's class is all about Cakes and Cupcakes: from Baking to Decorating. The 12:00 PM class is already filled, but we've added an additional session at 3:00 PM. While the classes are free, it is important to sign up in advance so we can be sure to have enough samples for tasting. Please call the 59th and Lexington Ave Williams-Sonoma store to be added to the 3 PM class. The phone number is 917-369-1131.

Because I understand the unique challenges of a gluten free diet, I am personally preparing gluten free samples baked off-site in a gluten-free kitchen. This is a personal accommodation and not something that will be available at all Williams-Sonoma locations.

As promised, I'm including the recipe for the homemade marshmallow fondant (MMF) I used in class to decorate the sugar cookies. This recipe is easily made gluten-free by simply choosing a gluten-free brand of marshmallows . Making your own MMF is not only cost effective but it tastes far better than the brands of fondant typically available in crafts stores. Should you have any questions about the recipe or the techniques I taught in class, please don't hesitate to leave a comment on this blog.

Ingredients: as always, if you follow a gluten free diet, choose your ingredients carefully.

16 ounces mini marshmallows

1/4 Cup Shortening, such as Crisco

2 Tablespoons of water

2 Pounds of confectionery sugar

1tsp Clear vanilla extract

1 tsp Butter flavored extract

Grease a large microwave safe bowl with shortening. I use a Pyrex 8-cup measuring cup.
Add the marshmallows and water to the greased bowl
Microwave on high for 60 seconds; if needed heat an additional 30 seconds until the marshmallows have melted. Carefully stir the melting marshmallows between heating sessions. The molten marshmallow mixture will be very hot and can easily cause severe burns.
Add 1 1/2 pounds (1 1/2 boxes) of confectioners' sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
Carefully add the marshmallow mixture into the confectioners sugar. Have the stand mixer knead the fondant until no longer sticky. Add the rest of the confectionery sugar as needed to produce a product that is not too sticky, but don't add too much or your fondant will be too dry.
I have learned to let the MMF rest for at least one hour prior to the final kneading; it makes the whole process easier on my hands! Just put the MMF in a heavy duty zip top bag with as much of the air squeezed out as possible. After the resting period, I knead the fondant briefly by hand on the Roll-and-Pat silicone mat you saw me using in class. Made correctly, this is the best tasting and easiest to use fondant I've worked with.

I've been too lazy to video tape the MMF process, but thankfully other people have posted their videos. Here is a link to a video that most closely resembles my method. The recipe is just a bit different from mine, but the videos are very good in showing you the technique.

Part I of the Tutorial:

Part II of the Tutorial:

If you are going to color the fondant like I did in class, use gel or paste colors for the best results.

Happy Decorating!

I just can't wait to share the cute cake and cupcake decorating tips I've prepared for this Sunday's class!

Will the Jets Ride the Colts to Victory?

2010-01-24T20:16:00Z

This will be a short post since I don't want to miss any of today's game. Every year I look forward to serving a few family favorites on Super Bowl Sunday. If the Jets win today there will be even more reasonz to serve up a feast - LET'S GO JETS!!

What are your some of your favorite Super Bowl eats?